


Wingman

by Zenparadox



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-31
Updated: 2016-01-31
Packaged: 2018-05-17 10:37:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5866207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zenparadox/pseuds/Zenparadox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Richard helps Arizona find love. Written for @calzona50ways reconciliation challenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Richard was sitting at a small table at the hospital coffee shop, picking at a muffin and waiting for his tea to cool. He was hoping to run into a certain doctor he’d had the pleasure of wingmanning for the previous evening, but so far there’d been no sign of her. He normally ate breakfast at home, but he really wanted to see how Arizona’s night had ended. He took his wingman duties seriously. He wanted to follow up. Make sure things went well for his wingee. He was pretty sure he’d seen Dr. Robbins carrying a cup of coffee from this cafe every morning, so he figured he’d could ‘accidentally’ run into her and get the goods on her night.  

He looked at his watch; it was getting late. He’d need to start rounds soon. Robbins was never late for rounds, so he was surprised she hadn’t been in for her coffee yet. Maybe she overslept, he mused, which, when he thought about it, could mean she had a late night. She _had_ been deep in conversation with a lovely woman when he’s snuck out of the bar last night.

He checked the time again, and sighed. He could give her ten more minutes, then he had to go. As curious as he was, his patients came first.

Luckily, he didn’t have to wait that long, as Arizona strolled into the cafe just minutes later. She smiled easily at the barista, who, Richard observed, was handing her her coffee before she even ordered it.

Richard watched as Arizona took a sip and her eyes closed in delight.

“Mmm, perfect,” Arizona hummed, which brought a smile to the barista’s face. Arizona winked and handed the young woman her card. She looked around the coffee shop as she waited for her card to be charged, unaware of the way the barista stared longingly.

But Richard noticed. He shook his head. Robbins really was off her game. “Arizona? Um, Dr. Robbins,” he called out to get her attention. When she turned to him and smiled, he waved her over.

“Richard!” Arizona waved. She grabbed her card from the woman, and joined him at his table. “I’ve never seen you in here before. I didn’t think you drank coffee.”

“I don’t usually, it’s bad for my blood pressure. This is tea. The young lady at the counter suggested it,” he took a sip and his face scrunched in surprise. “Hmm, it tastes a little like christmas...”

“Chia,” Arizona nodded. “Rachel makes the best.”

“Rachel?” he questioned.

“Oh,” Arizona turned and pointed at the woman behind the counter, who just so happened to be looking at Arizona. Rachel’s eyes went wide and she quickly looked down when she realized Arizona had turned her way. “The barista.”

“She’s cute,” Richard said.

“She’s a little young for you, Richard, also… you are married,” her face twisted, “You’re practically a newlywed!”

“Not for me, Robbins. _For you._ She’s interested in _you_. She had your coffee ready as soon as you walked through the door.”

“Rachel? No way. She’s just being nice. It’s her job to be nice. She’s not into me.”

“Of course she’s into you. You are a good looking woman. All the ladies at the bar last night were interested in you.”

“You think?”

“I know. I talked to them, remember?”

“Yeah, but…”

“No buts. It’s the absolute truth.” Richard cleared his throat, “um, speaking of last night. How did things go with Glasses?”

Arizona shrugged, and pursed her lips to the side.

“Robbins,” Richard warned.

“She was nice,” Arizona said. “We had fun. We talked. She made me laugh. She, um… owns a specialty donut shop. They make all these different exotic flavors, like… peanut butter and jelly… and, and caramel espresso bacon. She’s about to open a second in SoDo. Pretty successful.”

“Good, good… are you going to see her again?”

“I don’t think so,” Arizona shook her head.

“Why, you said you had fun. She made you laugh. I know you thought she was cute.”

“She was. She was great. Smart, beautiful, sexy glasses… perfect for me, but she wasn’t…”

“Torres.”

“Exactly,” Arizona sighed.

“No,” Richard said. “I mean she just walked in.”

Arizona looked over her shoulder to see her ex staring blankly at the menu. “Oh,” she turned back to Richard, “can you, uh, forget I said that?”

“If that’s what you want,” Richard replied. “If that’s what you truly want, I can forget it. But let me remind you… as your wingman, it is my duty to help you get the girl you want. Even _if_ it’s your ex.”

Arizona’s eye’s went wide with shock at the idea of someone helping her get back with Callie. She could feel her heart beating in her chest. “But… Callie has a girlfriend. She has Penny…. and Penny is nice, and pretty, and perfect. They finish each other’s sentences.”

“Maybe,” Richard nodded. “Maybe she’s all those things, but you know what she isn’t?”

“What?” Arizona asked.

“You.”


	2. Chapter 2

Arizona stared at Richard the whole time Callie was standing at the counter waiting for her coffee. Richard sipped his christmas flavored tea, and let his eyes roam back and forth between the two women. Callie’s attention was on her phone, her expression almost sour. Arizona was forcing herself not to turn and look at her ex. Callie grabbed her coffee and left without even noticing them.

“It’s okay,” Richard said. “She’s gone. You can…,” he waved his hand up and down in front of Arizona, “take a breath now.”

Arizona exhaled, not realizing she’d been holding it. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t know why I froze like that. Callie and I are… we’re in a good place. I think.”

“You  _ think _ ?” he asked.

“I want to be,” Arizona reached over and grabbed Richard’s extra napkin and started tearing it into tiny pieces. After a moment, she sighed, “I’m  _ trying _ to be. I don’t want to mess that up. She’s with Penny now. I don’t…,” she paused. “Callie deserves to be happy.”

Richard studied her-- _ really _ looked at her. She looked normal; not desperately sad, nor inordinately happy. She looked... resigned. Arizona had reconciled herself to Callie being in a relationship with someone else. She had accepted her fate.

He, of all people, understood the guilt that came with seemingly irreparable mistakes. The kind of mistakes that ruined marriages. Destroyed lives. He knew she likely felt powerless; unable to change her circumstances. He resolved, then and there, to help her. To help them both. Because he’d known Callie Torres for a long time, and from what he’d gathered in watching her the past few years, she felt just as powerless. 

“You deserve to be happy, too,” Richard said. If he could sponsor Amelia in her sobriety, he could wingman Arizona back to the joyful person she was before the plane crash. He just needed to inspire her. “The past is the past. You can’t change it. You can’t wish it away. The only thing you can do is move forward and do better. _Be_ _better_. Get yourself right with you, then and only then will absolution come. I promise you, it will come.” He reached across the table, and patted her fidgeting hands and reiterated,“You deserve happiness too, Robbins.”

Arizona pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, to keep it from trembling. She nodded, her eyes filled with tears at Richard’s words.  “Thank you,” she finally managed. “Thank you.”

“Happiness is out there, you just have to reach out and grab it. The question is, are you ready?”

“I think so.”

“No! No- ‘I think so’!” he firmly stated. “You deserve it! Let’s go get it!”

“Okay! Yes! Let’s go! Wait… what exactly am I doing?”

“Getting your wife back, of course.”

“Oh...okay, yeah,” she stuttered. The smile on her face as she thought of the prospect slowly dissolved to a look of confusion, “Uh… how?”

“You just leave that up to me.”

***

Callie was scrubbing for her second knee replacement of the day. She loved her research, and other projects, but the routine surgeries paid the bills. 

Looking at her reflection in the glass she sighed. She’d been up late waiting to hear from Penny. They hadn’t spoken since their terse words the day before. Penny had a habit of avoiding Callie when things were tense, and it was starting to irritate her. She’d just have to find the resident at lunch and try to work through it. Again. Why did it always have to be so hard?

The door to the scrub room crept open and Richard poked his head into the room. 

“Torres?”

She turned and saw who was speaking and smiled, “Webber.”

He took this as an invitation to step into the room. “I’m sorry to bother you, I know you have a busy schedule. But, I’m working on special project, and I’d like to get your input.”

“Oh really? Ortho related?”

“No, no,” he shook his head. “It’s personal. Can you do lunch today?”

“Oh,” Callie hesitated. She needed to talk to Penny. But Richard was a good friend. If he needed her…, “Sure. Is twelve okay?”

“Perfect. Cafeteria at noon. Be there.”

So much for talking to Penny, Callie thought. And as she finished scrubbing she realized something: she didn’t care. She was in no rush to talk to her.

***

Callie filled her tray with crappy hospital cafeteria food and let her eyes roam the room. Her gazed first landed on Meredith, who was having lunch with Alex and Maggie, no Amelia in sight. Callie’s relationship with Meredith had suffered as a result of recent events, and she wasn’t sure if it could be repaired, but at least they weren’t screaming at each other like two sisters in law.

She sighed and nonchalantly scanned the room for the face she always looked for. Be it from habit, or need, she always searched for the blonde. She just liked knowing where, or if, she was in the room. It was to no avail, this time, but she did see Penny, who was seated with Stephanie. They locked eyes for moment as Callie stood there trying read her girlfriend’s somewhat pained expression. Penny’s body language didn’t indicate much, but she definitely didn’t look as though she wanted Callie to join her and Dr. Edwards. 

Luckily for Callie she already had a lunch date.

“Dr. Torres! Callie! Over here,” Richard called out. 

With one last glance in Penny’s direction, Callie turned away and joined Richard at his table. 

“Glad you could join me,” he said. He looked toward Penny, whose troubled expression was gone, as she was now laughing with Stephanie. “I’m sorry if I ruined your plans. Did you intend to have lunch with your girlfriend?”

“Nope,” Callie answered easily, “I don’t believe that was ever the plan.”

“Oh, okay,” Richard smiled. “Good, good.” He pointed to her food, “Um, eat up. I seem to have head start on you.”

“I am pretty hungry,” Callie replied. She took a bite of her lasagna and let out a satisfied, “mmm.’ 

They ate in relative silence for the first few minutes, but by the time she’d made it halfway through her pasta and he still hadn’t told her why she was there, she figured she’d better get this conversation rolling, lest she be stuck for the afternoon. 

“So, you said you wanted my help with something?” she eventually asked. 

“I did.”

“And that is…?”

“Oh, right,” he pushed his plate away and pulled out a pencil and a small notepad. “I’m going to ask you a series of questions, and I want you to be completely honest with me.”

“Oookay…” Callie looked around the lunch room. “What is this about?”

He gave a dismissive wave of his hand, “I’ll explain everything later. I promise. I want your unbiased opinion first.”

“Is this going to take long?” Callie asked.

“Why, do you have surgery?”

“Not right away. But, this is my elective surgery day, so I do have some scheduled for this afternoon.”

“Well, then… let’s get started, shall we?” He adjusted his notepad, and held his pencil at the ready. 

“Okay,” Callie agreed. She grabbed her soda and took a large sip.

“What first attracted you to Dr. Robbins?”

The soda that Callie had just sucked up through the straw came spewing back out of her mouth. She coughed and grabbed for a napkin. “What?” she finally managed to get out between coughs. “I… I… what?”

“I said, ‘what first attracted you to…”

“No, I heard you,” Callie stopped him from finishing the question a second time. “What I don’t understand is why you are asking.”

“Hmmm, I’m not sure if I should say,” Richard pretended to be mulling over whether or not to reveal his ‘motives’ to Callie. 

“Richard,” Callie said in a warning tone. 

“Okay, okay, but,” he looked around the cafeteria as if to make sure no one was watching them. He gestured for Callie to lean forward, so they wouldn’t be overheard. “Promise not to tell Arizona I told you?”

“Uh, I guess,” Callie also looked around the room. Penny was leaving the room with Stephanie. She hadn’t even waved goodbye. She looked back at Richard. “Yeah, sure. I promise.”

“Since you are so  _ obviously happy with your new girlfriend,”  _ he said with intentional emphasis. Callie’s brow furrowed at the words. “Dr. Robbins, uh… Arizona,” he corrected himself, “has decided to start dipping her toes back into the dating pool.” 

“Start?” Callie’s brow furrowed even more. 

“And I’ve agreed to be her wingman,” Richard continued, noting to himself, but outwardly ignoring Callie’s surprise. 

For her part, Callie couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing. Arizona had just started to date? And  _ Richard _ was her wingman? Since when had the woman who’d introduced herself and then  _ kissed _ her, all within a matter moments, needed a wingman? She should have women lining up for her.

“So... What first attracted you to Dr. Robbins?” Richard fought to maintain his detached expression; he had Callie right where he wanted her, and it made him want to smile. “Don’t hold back. Tell me everything.”


	3. Chapter 3

“ _Richard_ ,” Callie warned. Her voice weary. She sounded tired, and wistful. They were still seated at the lunch table and though the crowd had dwindled, there were still plenty of people in the cafeteria. “I’m not sure if this is best idea.”

“Why not?” he asked. “You two are divorced. Over. You’ve been done for two years. Surely you can speak of some of the good times by now. You can’t still hold that much ill will...”

“Of course I don’t!” Callie exclaimed, louder than she intended. She took a deep breath and forced her tone to soften “It’s not about ill will. It was never about that. Richard, Arizona and I are... We are in a good place. I can’t allow myself to…,” she lifted her hands in surrender. “I just can’t. Okay?”

“Okay, I’m sorry,” Richard replied. “I didn’t mean to touch a nerve. Let’s just... forget about all this. You don’t need to answer my questions.” He put his pen back in his pocket and started to gather his lunch trash. “I’ll go. I’ll... figure out another way to help Robbins.”

Callie was torn. She wanted to help, she really did, but she stubbornly held her tongue.

She sat and watched as Richard packed up and left.

***

Callie, who was normally quite chatty in the OR, worked wordlessly during her afternoon surgery. Her thoughts were dominated trying to make sense of Richard’s revelation. She couldn’t understand the hows and whys of Arizona needing a wingman. Arizona was gorgeous and funny and enjoyed sex as much as Callie. There is no way she hadn’t been dating. Callie just couldn’t conceive of the possibility.

Dr. Wilson had tried to engage her in conversation at the start of the routine knee replacement, but Callie had quickly shut her down. She didn’t want to talk, she wanted to think.

Forty-five minutes into the surgery and all her thinking had done was bring up questions. So many questions and no way to get answers, except maybe… She glanced up at the resident assisting her with the surgery.

“Wilson?”

“Yes, Dr. Torres?”

“How are things with you are Karev?” Callie asked, quickly looking back to open leg in front of her.

“Fine,” Jo sighed.

Callie picked up on the underlying melancholy of her resident’s response and quickly pounced, “Fine? Your tone would suggest otherwise. What’s the real deal…? What’s _really_ happening?” Callie asked.

“Why are you so interested in Alex and me?” Jo eyed Callie with suspicion.

“No particular reason,” Callie lied. “Just making conversation. I mean… I know it’s hard for an attending dating resident. Our hours are so different, it’s difficult to make time for each other.”

“You can say that again,” Jo nodded her head in agreement. “But for us it’s not the job that’s consuming all of Alex’s time.”

“Really?” Callie looked up and raised an eyebrow in question. She’d heard some rumbling about Jo being less than pleased with the amount of time Alex and Meredith had been spending together. She hoped she could transition that gossip into a discussion about Arizona. “Who, er, what is the issue?”

“Definitely a who,” Jo responded.

“I thought now that you two have your own place, no… roommates, that’s it’d be pretty much bliss.”

“I thought that too,” Jo said. “I mean, not that Arizona was purposefully intrusive. She was just always there.”

“Except for when she was out,” Callie said again not looking up from her work, “dating. Or… or did she bring her dates there?”

“No,” Jo casually replied. “Arizona didn’t date.”

“What?” Callie looked up at Jo again. “What do you mean ‘Arizona didn’t date’?”

“Um, exactly what it sounds like,” Jo replied. “She was always there or here. She didn’t date. Not once.”

“Huh.”

“Anyway, my current issue is with Meredith. Alex says he’s her ‘person’ and she always seems to come first. He never thinks of me…” Jo continued, but Callie stopped paying attention. She now had confirmation that Arizona hadn’t been dating… or doing really much of anything in the romantic sense.

Knowing that Arizona had been alone the past two years moved something inside her. She wasn’t sure why, but it changed… everything. Altered her perception. She’d thought that Arizona would have quickly moved on, maybe not into a serious relationship, but certainly into something casual. Why had she not? What had stopped her? And why was she suddenly ready to start now? What’s different about now? Was it just time? Or… or could it be? No. Callie shook her head. No, it couldn’t be Penny. There was no way that Arizona was only just moving on because Callie had started dating someone seriously.

Ugh. Penny. Her stomach churned as her thoughts turned to her new girlfriend. Things had started out so well, but now…it was a constant struggle. A struggle to see each other. A struggle to see eye to eye. Callie almost growled in frustration. Why did everything have to be so hard? Why couldn’t love just be easy?

Callie was pulled from her internal turmoil by the clearing of a throat in the now silent operating room.

She looked up and everyone was looking at her as if waiting on her to speak.

“I’m sorry,” she glanced from Dr. Wilson, who was holding the drill, to the anesthesiologist, to the scrub nurse ready with gauze. All who where looking at her expectantly. She’d been so lost in her thoughts that she’d missed something. “What?”

“I asked what you thought I should do about Alex and Meredith. You know them both pretty well, so what do you think? I mean, I get she’s his best friend, but how could he let that trump his girlfriend?”

“I don’t know, Jo,” Callie answered honestly. “Maybe he doesn’t realize what he’s doing. How this is affecting you. Sometimes… sometimes you don’t see the things that are right there in front of you. Sometimes it takes an outside influence to point out what should have been obvious to you from the start.”

“So you’re saying I should have someone talk to him? Point out that he’s being a jerk?”

Callie shrugged, “It couldn’t hurt.”

“Would you?”

“No,” Callie emphatically replied. “I have my own problems, Wilson.”

“But…”

“You should ask Dr. Webber,” Callie chuckled. “He’s very good at subtly pointing out the obvious.”

***

Callie had been searching for Richard since the end of her surgery. Her quest had finally led her to attendings’ lounge, where she found him sneaking a muffin.

“I thought Catherine had you on a diet?”

He jumped at the sound of Callie’s voice. “What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” he smoothly replied. Though, he missed his wife’s presence when she was away, he loved being able to eat what he wanted-- without getting one of those _looks_.

“Should you be keeping secrets from your wife?”

Richard shrugged. “Big ones? No. Muffin shaped secrets? I think she’d forgive me.”

“Did Adele?”

“Did she what?”

“Forgive you,” Callie replied. She moved further into the room and shut the door behind her. She wanted to talk to him alone, just for moment, to help her get her thoughts in order.

“I believe she did,” Richard responded. “In time.”

“Have you ever…” Callie swallowed over the lump that had formed in her throat. “Have you ever regretted your choice?”

“I’ve regretted many things in my life, Torres,” Richard answered truthfully. “But what exactly are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about your choice to stay with Adele, despite being in love with Ellis?”

“Oh,” Richard put his muffin down and indicated for Callie to sit at the table with him. “That’s a pretty personal question.”

“I know,” Callie nodded. “It’s… I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer that.”

“I can’t let myself regret that choice. I lived a wonderful life with a wonderful woman, who, at times, I believed I didn’t deserve. And… I could have lived a wonderful life with Ellis and had a family.” Richard reached over and grabbed Callie’s hand. “The truth is, it doesn’t matter who I chose in that moment.”

“What? Why?”

“Because love is a choice you make every day. Love takes effort. It’s hard. It’s dirty and messy and downright difficult at times. It’s not magic or rainbows or soulmates. It’s effort and commitment.”

Callie once again swallowed over the lump in her throat.

“When you find someone who’s worth the effort, you’ll never regret loving them,” Richard continued. “Do you understand what I'm saying? _All relationships are hard_. You just have to decide who’s worth the effort.”

She responded with an affirmative nod, the lump in her throat made it too hard to answer verbally. She rose to leave.

Richard watched as she silently made her way to the door. He hoped he hadn’t messed up. Pushed her to far. But, just as she was about to open the door to leave the room she spoke without turning back face him.

“Her confidence,” Callie managed to say. “She just… walked up and introduced herself and told me that people would be lining up for me. She made me feel good for the first time an a long time. So yeah, her confidence and kindness… And her smile. It... it lit up the room. Any room she was in was made brighter by her smile. That’s what first attracted me to her, and that’s what I miss the most,” Callie sighed. “She doesn’t need a wingman, Richard. Just tell her to be herself and they’ll line up for her.”

She left the room quickly, not wanting Richard to see the tears.

***

Arizona waited patiently in the lobby for Richard. He’d sent an intern earlier asking her to meet him here after work. She figured he wanted to update her on what had transpired with his ‘plan’ today. She bit her lip as she thought about the prospect of getting Callie back. She hadn’t allowed herself to think it was possible, but Richard seemed so sure of himself, it gave her confidence. She’d worried about it the whole day. Snapped at some interns, and Alex, when he asked what her problem was. The truth was she was torn. She wanted Callie back; she knew that to be true. But she wanted Callie to want her back. And not because she’d been tricked by Richard. She wanted Callie to want her for her.

“Robbins, are you ready to hit the bar? I know it’s not trivia night, but...”

“I’m not sure this is a good idea. You wingmanning me with Callie. It feels wrong.”

“You can’t get cold feet now,” Richard said. “The wheels are in motion. We can’t stop them.”

“What kind of wheels are we talking about here? Because I don’t want to get run over by a giant set of Monster Truck wheels. I’ve been hurt enough. And so has she. I don’t want her back via manipulation. It’s… wrong.”

“Okay, okay,” Richard nodded. “I get what you are saying. Maybe that was a bad metaphor on my part. Forget the wheels. What I really meant was the seed has been planted.”

Arizona looked thoughtful. Seed planting didn’t sound as sneaky or underhanded. “You planted a seed?”

“Yes, now all you have to do let it grow. Shine your light on it. Give it life. Nourish it.”

“How do I do that?”

“By being you.”


	4. Chapter 4

_ Arizona looked thoughtful. Seed planting didn’t sound as sneaky or underhanded. “You planted a seed?” _

_ “Yes, now all you have to do let it grow. Shine your light on it. Give it life. Nourish it.” _

_ “How do I do that?” _

_ “By being you.” _

***

Arizona took Richard's’ words to heart. She let them free her. She dropped all pretense and just let herself live. She felt like herself again for the first time since she got on that plane. She went to bars and had fun. She met women and danced and drank and chatted and laughed. She’d gotten so many women’s numbers, her confidence was at an all time high. She had options. Many, many options. Several that she knew, if things were different, if she didn’t still love her ex, that she could have made a go with. One woman in particular was kind and funny and extremely attractive. Arizona could see herself enjoying her company as more than a casual. That woman had potential. But, she wasn’t Callie. None of them were.

Richard had opened the door to the possibility of her and Callie being a ‘them’ again, and until that door was shut for good, until she gave it this one last shot, she had no interest in pursuing anything with anyone. Dancing and laughing were one thing, but she wasn’t giving herself to anyone. She broke that sacred trust once, and though she wasn’t married to Callie anymore, and Callie was… in a relationship with someone else, she knew she’d regret it if she did. Once she’d realized she wanted to give herself another opportunity at greatness with Callie, to achieve what tragedy took away from them, she wasn’t going to do anything to break that trust. Even if Callie didn’t care, or ever knew, Arizona was going to maintain her fidelity. It was something she needed to do for herself. Not to prove anything, but for her own piece of mind. The person she was now, the real her, was a good man in a storm. She finally loved herself,  _ really _ loved herself. As if by magic, she had become, and much the same as Rabbit in Sofia’s favorite bedtime story, she was finally real.

While she spent her free nights gaining confidence and finding herself, her days were no longer spent taking steps to avoid excessive contact with Callie. She wanted her ex to see her. To see this person she had become. She wanted to shine her light on Callie again.

It had been several weeks since Richard had planted the seed, and Arizona had been slowly cultivating it. Callie had grown over the past two years, and now, so had she. She had finally learned to let herself just be. If felt fantastic and it made her all the more determined to propel them forward and allow them to grow together. For their lives to once again intertwine and rise as one toward the light. To take their budding goodwill and allow it to blossom into more.

Before, Arizona would have grabbed her lunch and gone back to her office had she arrived in the cafeteria alone and Callie was already seated and eating. She used to prefer to eat with a buffer, rather than risk alone time with Callie. Or Callie and Penny. But not now. Now she wanted to spend time in the company of the other woman. She actively sought out her company, even if that company involved the woman that currently shared Callie’s bed and held Callie’s heart. But, luckily, Callie was sitting alone today. 

To do this right, Arizona had to let Callie see her. She couldn’t hide her light anymore. She strode confidently to table

“Hey!” she smiled down at the brunette. “You alone today? Penny in surgery?”

Callie looked up from her salad and smiled at the blonde. She gestured to the empty chair across from her. “I’m not alone anymore. And Penny is…,” she sucked in a deep breath and exhaled dramatically, “I don’t know.”

Arizona’s brow furrowed, but she didn’t comment. It wasn’t her place. But she did sit.

“Do you ever think about Mark’s other daughter?” Arizona asked.

Callie stopped her fork midway to her mouth and looked at Arizona with confusion. “Sloan Sloan?”

“Yeah,” Arizona confirmed. “I had a patient today whose fetus had bands of amniotic tissue wrapped around it’s arm, and it made me think of her. I wonder how the baby is doing? I mean… I know he isn’t a baby anymore and he’s not actually with her…”

Callie sat back in her chair, wondering if Arizona had a point to this, or if she was just making conversation. “I haven’t seen Sloan since Mark’s funeral. The lawyers took care of all the estate stuff. She got her check and disappeared. Haven’t heard from her since.”

“I didn’t even know she came to the funeral,” Arizona admitted.

“You were a little preoccupied,” Callie shrugged. It had been hard at the time, but she was over it now. She didn’t hold any lingering hurt.

“I know, and I’m sorry you had to do all of that alone, Callie. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when you needed me.”

“It’s okay,” Callie’s forehead creased, she still wasn’t sure why Arizona had brought up this conversation. “I was fine. And… Derek helped a lot. I get that you were….”

“Callie,” Arizona stopped the other woman from defending her. “Just let me apologize. Please?”

“Okay,” her face softened at the other woman’s earnestness. 

“Uh… You know I wasn’t… me, right?” Arizona asked. Her voice tentative, as if she were afraid of how Callie might react. “Sometimes, I think back to that time… and i don’t recognize myself.” Her gaze remained lowered, she only looked up once she was finished speaking.

“It was a difficult time, Arizona. I… I understand. There were moments for me too. Thoughts and reactions I had. I thought I was losing it… Losing you, Mark… everything. I wasn’t myself either. So, I get it. I really do,” Callie reached across the table and gently touched Arizona’s hand. “You can stop apologizing now.”

“Okay,” Arizona smiled, despite the heavy turn their conversation had taken. “I just wanted you to know that I’m different now.”

“I know,” Callie smiled in return. She reluctantly pulled her hand back, so that Arizona could finish her lunch. “Richard is a very insightful man. I can see he’s helped you a lot.”

“You have no idea,” Arizona chuckled. “He’s amazing,” she added. She lifted a fork full of salad to her mouth.

Callie smiled and allowed her eyes to roam Arizona’s face as she chewed. There was a sparkle in her that had been missing for years; an underlying joy in everything she did, threatening to bubble to the surface uncontrollably. 

Callie’s face fell when she realized the likely reason for Arizona’s newfound happiness. “You found someone,” she couldn’t stop the words, nor hide her disappointment.

Arizona held Callie’s gaze while she swallowed her food. She needed a moment to form her response. To figure out how to tell Callie that she had indeed found someone, but that someone was her, without actually telling her. “Uh.. in a sense.”

“In a sense?” Callie’s face twisted in confusion.

“There is someone I’m interested in. An amazing someone, but I’m taking it slow. I don’t want to mess it up,” Arizona stared directly into Callie’s eyes, and added, “I want this time to be forever.”

Callie’s heart beat a familiar rhythm in her chest, an intimate song she thought she’d long forgotten. Suddenly her head was spinning with uncertainty and confusion. The salad she’d just consumed was threatening to climb back up her throat. She swallowed hard, “Where uh… where did you meet her?” 

“Joe’s,” Arizona answered without a moment’s thought.

“Joe’s?” Callie squeaked. Her body and soul, heart and mind, torn between jealousy and hope.

“Yeah, she uh… she was sitting at the bar. Looking sad, so I…,” Arizona licked her lips and leaned toward the enraptured brunette, who also leaned forward in anticipation. Arizona was about to continue, to tell Callie her truth, but a tray was unceremoniously dropped onto the table, interrupting the intense conversation. 

The two women broke their eye contact and jumped apart. They both turned to see a clearly disconcerted Penny standing by the table. Callie’s eyes widened at the thought of how this must have looked to her girlfriend, and opened her mouth to apologize, but Penny beat her to the punch.

“I can’t believe this is still happening...” the angry woman said.

“Still?” Callie shook her head, confused. “What? We haven’t… we’re just having lunch. It’s nothing….”

“I’m talking about Amelia Shepherd,” Penny said. “She still hates me. I can’t seem to do anything right. And it’s starting to piss me off.”

“Oh,” Callie lifted her head in realization. “So you’re upset about Amelia?”

“Yeah, what else would I be?”

“Apparently nothing,” Callie sighed. She glanced at Arizona, who was suddenly finding her salad extremely interesting. She looked back to girlfriend, “I uh… I haven’t seen you in three days, Penny. Where have you been?”

Arizona’s eyes widened in shock, but she covered quickly, and politely pretended not to have heard..  

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Penny avoided eye contact with Callie. “First Meredith hated me, but now she’s working me to death. And Amelia… ugh. You know how residency is.”

“I do,” Callie nodded. “Phones still work, though.”

Arizona interrupted the two to make her exit, “I’m just gonna…,” she pointed toward the door. She turned to Callie,“We’ll talk later, okay?”

Callie held her gaze, she didn’t want Arizona to leave, but she understood her ex’s discomfort. “Sure. Later.”

Penny waved politely. Arizona just nodded in return and left the two women alone.

***

Penny ate her lunch in silence, wishing she’d grabbed something from the vending machine and eaten alone, instead of this uncomfortable encounter. She glanced at Callie and wondered how they were going to make it, if things were already this awkward.

Things with Penny were off. Way off. Callie knew they’d need to have a conversation, and soon, but for now she’d lost her appetite and just wanted to get away.

“Look, Penny…,” Callie started gathering up her mess, “I think I’m finished, so…”

Penny looked up from her lunch and quickly said, “Oh, thank god.” The redhead sighed her relief. “I’m so glad you said that. I think we’ve run our course, too. Though, I didn’t imagine this happening in the cafeteria, but… yeah, we should definitely stop...”

“Wait…,” Callie said, interrupting Penny’s rambling. Her brows drew together in confusion. “Are you breaking up with me?”

“Uh, yeah… no… you just broke up with me,” Penny looked around to see if anyone was listening, suddenly regretting the location of this conversation. “You said you were finished, and I agreed.”

“I meant with my lunch,” Callie growled, suddenly angry. “But you know what? I think you are absolutely right. We’ve run our course. There is no point in delaying the inevitable. Good luck to you, Penny.” She stood to leave. 

“Calliope… wait,” Penny started.

“Don’t. Please, don’t call me that,” Callie closed her eyes and pulled her lips in tight. Her nostrils flare as she took in a deep breath, then deflated. “I’m so stupid.”

“No. I… didn’t mean…,” Penny stuttered. “I.. I’m so sorry….”

“No,” Callie chuckled ironically. “Don’t be. Really. I’m… fine. And obviously so are you, so… I’ll see you around.” 

Callie turned and strode quickly and confidently out of the lunch room. She made her way to the elevator and was relieved to find it empty. Once the doors had shut, she covered her face with her hands allowed herself to break down and cry. She had just broken up with her girlfriend, but the thing was, she wasn’t sure why she was crying. Her thoughts were a swirling mess. Arizona and Penny; each battled for dominance, threatening to overwhelm her. She took several deep breaths to try to compose herself before the elevator reached her floor.  

Arizona had confused her. Penny had freed her. But mostly she couldn’t stop thinking about the possibility of Arizona moving on. Of Arizona finding someone amazing. The very idea turned her stomach. 

As soon as the elevator stopped, she ran to the closest restroom and lost her lunch.

***


	5. Chapter 5

A week had passed since Callie and Penny realized there was nothing left for them. It was a realization that had been a long time coming, and was easier than expected. It had also been a week since the more crushing realization that Arizona had found someone else. Someone who put a spring in Arizona’s step. A smile on her face. Someone who made the blonde like her old self again.  Someone whom Callie was simultaneously grateful for because she honestly wanted Arizona to be happy, but also hated, because she’d achieved what Callie had tried so hard to do all those years.

She’d tried to avoid Arizona, she really did, but the happy blonde was everywhere she turned: at lunch, at the coffee cart, the attendings’ lounge, and the daycare. And as if by design, their surgeries seemed to line up, so they always on the surgical floor at the same time. Callie had seen more of the woman in the past few weeks that she had in all of the two years since their divorce. She found herself taking a sort perverse pleasure in the pain it caused her, because despite how it made her feel to see Arizona, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling in her presence. Like now, as she walked into the coffee shop on the first floor, and caught sight of Arizona eating pound cake for breakfast and laughing with Richard. Despite the oddity of the combination, she found the two together quite often.

Seeing Arizona brought a smile to her face and a oh so familiar rhythm to her heartbeat.

And just like that, it clicked. Callie had an epiphany; one she realized she’d been fighting for weeks. She still loved Arizona. Everything about her. She’d known she’d always love her in some way, shape, or form, but what she hadn’t realized was that she was still _in love_ with her. Or maybe, she in love with her again.

Arizona’s gaze turned from Richard to meet Callie’s eyes, and suddenly butterflies took flight, causing Callie’s step to falter. How had she not recognized this before? How had she thought that what she felt for Penny could compare? Penny had made her smile, in the beginning, but Penny never moved her. Penny never caused her head to spin with confusion and joy. Penny didn’t make her feel like she was standing at the top of a skyscraper on a glass balcony with her whole future laid out in front of her. Arizona made her dizzy. Arizona made her feel that she was doing more than simply existing. Arizona made her feel fervently alive, and, in retrospect, Penny hadn’t made her feel at all. Penny had been passable. Penny had been safe. But the prospect of Arizona again... that was anything but safe.

***

Arizona tilted her head as she watched the myriad of emotions wash over Callie’s features. The brunette’s expression had gone from pleasantly surprised and genuinely joyful to terrified in a matter of moments.

She watched, eyebrows raised, as Callie closed her eyes and fought what appeared to be some highly turbulent internal battle.

***

Callie’s mind was a mess. Everything had been going so well for her. Her life was in order. She and Arizona were successfully co-parenting their wonderful daughter and their complex relationship had reached a somewhat satisfactory arrangement. Her career couldn’t had been going better. She’d published several articles on her robotic limb work, and was on the short list for several prestigious awards. She’d even had an uncomplicated relationship with a girlfriend who was comfortable. And then everything changed.

Penny came to work at the Grey Sloan memorial, and Callie’s breezy life was gone. Suddenly, uncomplicated was anything but. Penny’s role in the ill handling of Derek’s treatment at Dillard had been the first blow. Though Callie believed Penny wasn’t responsible, it had still hurt to know the extent of her involvement, and that she’d hid that involvement from Callie. But that alone wasn’t enough to break through Callie’s complacent existence. It left a huge crack in Callie’s exterior, but Callie was a forgiving person at heart. Or at least she tried her best to be. She wanted to forgive Penny, because Penny was safe. But she learned that maybe forgiveness didn’t come as easily to her as she claimed. Because her relationship with Penny hadn’t been the same.

And thinking back, she’d hadn’t forgiven Arizona when she took her back. She hadn’t given herself enough time and distance to forgive. She hadn’t given them enough time to heal their wounds before they were desperately trying again. But now time had passed. She didn’t resent Arizona any longer. She didn’t feel the mistrust that hung over her like a dark cloud threatening to open up and drown her. She couldn’t admit it back then, because she desperately loved Arizona, but she hadn’t forgiven her. She still hurt. And that lingering hurt was what helped bring their marriage to it’s demise. She lived those months post-cheating with her stomach in knots, constantly worrying she was going to lose Arizona. Suffocated by her, while still angry with her.

But now there was nothing but warmth. No more did she feel that desperation. The knots were gone and butterflies had taken over. She was healed. Arizona was healed. Absolution had come.

Now all Callie had to do was take a step. One small step toward Arizona; toward her future.

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

***

When their gaze once again met, Arizona smiled.

Callie, however, bolted. She turned and ran straight out of the coffee shop and down the corridor toward the elevators.

Arizona stood to follow, but a restraining hand from Richard stopped her.

“Richard?” she turned to question her breakfast companion.

“Not yet,” he said. “She still needs more time.”

Arizona’s shoulders slumped. She grudgingly took her seat again. She pushed her breakfast away, her appetite for pound cake suddenly gone. “Will she ever be ready?”

“Of course she will,” Richard replied.

“How will I know?”

“She’ll come to you.”

“You’re sure?” Arizona’s patience was wearing thin, and the surety that Callie would return her love waned as days with no action rolled by. “I’ve been shining on her like you said, and at times she seems receptive, but… what is taking so long?”

“Robbins, you know Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

“I’m not trying to build Rome!” she snapped back.

“You _are_ trying to build something,” Richard immediately replied. “Something lasting. If you want it to stand the test of time. You can’t rush it. You can’t skip steps. You’re not slapping together a shack, you want to build 50 story skyscraper. A lifetime together. You need a solid foundation for that. Look what happened the first time. You had to tear it all down and start over. Multiple times. And each time you rushed. Don’t let shoddy craftsmanship cost you again.”

“Ugh, you are right,” Arizona accepted defeat. “Of course you are right. But, I just… I miss her. Ever since I realized I still want her… I can’t stop thinking about her. It’s killing me,” she growled in benign frustration.

Richard chuckled, “Let her get her ducks in a row. Take care of her own obligations. Settle her thoughts. Then I promise. She’ll come to you.”

“What obligations?” Arizona started to ask, then closed her eyes in realization. She’d somehow forgotten about Penny. “You mean she needs to break up with her girlfriend.”

“If she hasn’t already,” Richard mused. “I haven’t seen them together all week.”

Arizona’s eyes popped open at the revelation. Richard was right. She hadn’t seen Callie with Penny all week either.  And just like that, her confidence returned, and with it, her smile.

***

Callie took her time. She knew what she wanted, but she waited. She wasn’t going to rush this. If this was going to be forever, it had to be right.

Finally, a month and half after breaking up with Penny, and exactly 35 days since she realized that she was still in love with Arizona and wanted her back in her life, she was ready. Ready to take that step.

She had Richard paged to scrub room for OR four. She stared at herself in the reflective glass while she awaited his arrival.

“You paged, Torres?” he came up behind her.

“I did,” she answered without turning. “I… I think I’m ready.”

“For?”

“You _know_ what for,” she didn’t want to say it out loud for fear she’d lose the nerve to do what she knew she wanted to do.

“What’s stopping you?”

“I’m afraid,” she admitted.

“So be afraid!” he replied with force. “And then do it anyway!”

“Where do I start?”

“The Wildrose. Tonight. It’s trivia night. Be there at 8,” Richard turned to leave, then paused before stepping out of the room. “Do you own any glasses?”

“What? Glasses?” Callie was confused, but she trusted Richard. “Actually, I do. I just bought a new pair of reading glasses.”

“Good,” he smiled, “Good. Make sure you have them with you.” With that comment, he was gone, and Callie was alone to contemplate the evening ahead.

“Glasses?” she wondered. She shook her head and finished scrubbing for her afternoon surgery.

***

If patience is a virtue, Arizona wasn’t feeling very virtuous. She’d had enough of patience. Richard kept telling her to wait, but she was tired of waiting. Waiting on Callie had been torturous the past month. And now, here she sat alone at the Wildrose, waiting on Richard. She looked at her watch and sighed.

“Did your trivia partner stand you up?”

Arizona smiled when she saw who it was, “So far.” She’d had actually been slightly interested in her the first night her a Richard came to trivia night. She’d thought the glasses were cute. But after realizing it was Callie she truly wanted, she’d not given the woman a second thought.

“Can I buy you a drink then?” the woman offered. “While you wait,” she added when it looked as though Arizona were about to balk.

Arizona smiled politely while she contemplated the woman’s offer.

***

Callie stood just outside the Wildrose and gave herself and internal pep talk. She hadn’t been to a girl bar for months-- since meeting Penny-- and never this one.

When she finally worked up the nerve, she quickly pushed through the door and into bustling atmosphere. Her eyes landed on Arizona almost immediately. Arizona smiling and chatting with a cute brunette in glasses. “Oh,” Callie chuckled to herself. Apparently Arizona had formed an attraction to women in glasses. Richard certainly doesn't miss a single detail.

Seeing Arizona chatting with the woman, actually calmed her nerves a bit. She knew what she was offering, and she was suddenly secure in the thought Arizona was interested in it. She was sure Arizona had been talking about her when she said she’d found someone.

Callie walked up behind Arizona, who remained oblivious to her presence, and waited for her and glasses to finish their conversation.

The cute woman in glasses noticed her first, but Arizona quickly followed her gaze and her eyes widened in shock upon seeing the brunette. She quickly jumped off of her barstool and stood face-to-face with her ex.

“Callie,” she breathed, her shocked expression shifting to one of joy. The woman in glasses faded to the background. “I’ve been waiting so long. I thought you’d never get here.”

“I’m sorry it took me so long,” Callie reached out and grabbed the end of soft blonde hair and let it roll loosely between her fingers.

“That’s okay, you're here now,” Arizona choked back a sob. “Is Richard…?”

“Not coming,” Callie replied. Her own tears forming. “You don’t need a wingman anymore. I’m here now.”

They stared at each other for a few quiet moments, until Callie finally broke the silence.

“So, trivia?”

“Trivia,” Arizona nodded.

“Are you ready this?” Callie asked.

“You bet,” Arizona smiled. “I couldn’t be more ready,” she knew this was going to be the first night of many in which the two women would become reaquainted with each other. “The question is, are _you_ ready?”

“I am,” Callie said. Then her brows furrowed, “no, wait!” She reached into her purse and pulled out a pair of glasses, positioning them perfectly on her nose. “Now, I’m ready.”

Arizona tossed her head back and laughed. She was overcome with joy, because she knew...

This time they would build their foundation right. They would build it strong.

This time they would last.

***

End.


End file.
